


show me courage (i will learn on my own)

by mehan kartik (daydreamingstoryteller)



Series: we may be the first to fall [2]
Category: Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan (2020)
Genre: Angst and Feels, Angst with a Happy Ending, Background Karman, Chaman Chacha is a Good Bro, Chaman's POV, Family Feels, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-16
Updated: 2020-04-16
Packaged: 2021-03-01 18:35:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,720
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23631721
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/daydreamingstoryteller/pseuds/mehan%20kartik
Summary: In the morning he noticed that Kartik makes Aman come out of his shell. He spent a good amount of time being grateful for it even. Now, he wonders if Aman does the same for Kartik. It feels like for the first time he’s seeing Kartik as Kartik. He’s seeing Kartik without Aman. It scares him.Chaman has seen Aman before Kartik, but right now, he doesn't even want to think about going back and seeing Aman...after Kartik. He thinks back to Kartik and Aman together and wonders if this is what love is supposed to look like.Or in other words - Kartik Singh, through the eyes of Chaman Tripathi. [Chaman's thoughts throughout the movie]
Relationships: Kartik Singh & Chaman Tripathi, Kartik Singh/Aman Tripathi
Series: we may be the first to fall [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1690273
Comments: 36
Kudos: 46





	show me courage (i will learn on my own)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [HackedByAWriter](https://archiveofourown.org/users/HackedByAWriter/gifts).



> This is going to be a series. It's all set around the events of the movie from different perspectives, but it's also about something... **more**. It's about human connections and what we owe to each other, or what we gain from each other. It's something very special to me. Hope you guys take it and make it mean something to you too. (Please go easy on me Ive been trying to write this for 2 weeks)
> 
> _For my darling daughter, Sargun. You're not just my duckling but you're also our GC's Chaman. You're the one that has made this fic possible because you keep motivating me and pushing me to write the stories that I want to write. This fic was always going to be for you, even before I mentioned anything about this to you. Hope you like how it turned out <3_

Chaman didn't really know what to think of Kartik at first. Just like the rest of the family, he was confused at seeing a random kid stop and smile at them. Only later when Aman popped up and introduced them did Chaman actually take notice of the lanky, tall man that Aman claimed was his best friend, roommate, and co-worker. 

When Kartik immediately bent down to hug bhabhi and get blessings from all of them, Chaman was impressed. He felt happy, not just because Aman was here with them, but because he brought someone along. 

Aman was never a very sociable kid, at least not when he was still in Allahabad with them. Chaman didn’t know if it was Kartik, or just being in Delhi in general, but Chaman could see a new confidence in Aman. It filled Chaman’s heart with happiness. 

When finally his brother, Shankar, came back and saw Kartik, the mood of the family did dim a bit. Chaman tried to not let it affect him. His brother has always been wary of new people, especially people from Delhi, like Kartik. But Chaman, on the other hand, loves meeting new people. He loves getting to know them, their stories and their struggles. 

So when Aman introduced Kartik to him, Chaman was very eager to get to know this boy that was apparently very close with his nephew. It also helped that Chaman has always had a soft spot for his darling nephew. 

Even though Aman wasn’t always the most talkative kid or the most outgoing one, and was shy more often than not - to the Tripathi parivaar he was their precious kid, their _Guddu._ And to see his usually reserved, and shy nephew laughing loudly, cracking jokes with Kartik, dancing along to every crazy step the family was dancing - it made Chaman feel whole in a way that he didn’t even know he could feel. 

Just hours ago he was desperately missing both Goggle and Aman. Goggle, because she was going to be married away, and Aman because Aman wasn’t going to come to the wedding. He didn’t want to admit it to anyone else, but Aman not being there at Goggle’s wedding felt like a stab at his old heart. After years of raising these kids together, to have a big family event and not have his kids be there felt lonely and quiet. 

But now, here he was. Aman had actually come, and if what he said was true, then Kartik was the one who convinced him to attend in the first place. Sitting opposite his kids, and watching them laugh and joke and have fun made all his troubles and tensions fall away. He especially loves that Aman was now opening up more. And if Kartik was the kind of best friend that can both get Aman to be here and actually get him to be more carefree - well then. Chaman couldn’t wait to get to know him. He had to thank Kartik anyway, for making his heart feel full. 

~~~

An hour or so later, when everyone has stopped dancing and just stelled into small groups chatting lively, Chaman sees Kartik sitting by himself and watching everyone else with a smile on his face. Sensing that this was a great time to get to know Aman’s friend, Chaman gets up and goes to sit beside Kartik. 

Kartik’s small - and somewhat sad Chaman noted - smile turns brighter when he sees Chaman come and sit beside him. “Hello Uncle. You look really smart.” Kartik says to Chaman. 

“Haan, thanks Kartik beta. How are you doing? Are you tired? Did you eat something beta?” Chaman asks. Kartik is not only their guest but also the first proper friend Aman has brought over, so Chaman knows that Kartik is special to Aman. And he wants to make sure that he was well looked after as long as he was there with them. 

“Haan Uncle. Aman and I ate just now. Thank you for having me over for your family function.” Kartik replies. 

“Arey, no beta, it’s a wedding! The more people the better na?” Chaman reassures Kartik and proceeds to ask him about Aman and him. “Bhato na, how did you meet Aman? Is Aman doing okay? You live together with him right? Is he taking care of himself? What about you?” 

And the questions keep going and soon Kartik and Chaman are trading stories about Aman back and forth. Soon those turn to jokes and talking about Kartik himself. Kartik starts telling Chaman about how much Aman has talked about the family. Kartik talks about hearing about the family, and how much he wanted to meet everyone that he just HAD to convince Aman to come today and bring Kartik with him.

Slowly watching Kartik smile bigger and bigger as he talks about all the things he’s heard about them, everything he loves about the family and everybody he wants to get to know makes Chaman involuntarily smile too. He didn’t know how Aman, who never gets close to anyone, managed to get a friend like Kartik, but he is very happy that Aman did. 

But there was one thought that kept nagging at Chaman for some reason. So he gently interrupts Kartik and asks him about his own family. “Beta, mummy papa know that you’re here with us? Do they also stay in Delhi?” 

The moment he asks the question Chaman wants to take it back. Because he can see the happy smile that Kartik has on his face dim. It doesn’t go away - it just gets smaller, and .... hurt? Before Chaman can take the question back, Kartik answers in a soft tone, softer than anything Chaman has heard that boy use till then. 

“Mere pass family nahi hai, uncle [I don’t have a family uncle].” 

The moment the words register in his brain, Chaman feels crushed and guilty. Before he can even think to apologize, he sees Kartik’s smile get back to their usual shine. Even though Chaman wants to say sorry, the way Kartik immediately cheers himself up makes him reconsider. 

Kartik obviously doesn’t want to talk about it. But Chaman’s heart refuses to just let this go and not offer any comfort. So he does the one thing he can at that point and offers comfort in the only way he knows how. 

He looks at this young man sitting next to him and says, “Don’t call me uncle. Call me chacha”. 

This time, Chaman notices that Kartik’s smile reaches his eyes too. 

~~~

They get on into an auto right at the doorstep of the event hall. Kartik gets in first, his bag slung over his shoulder. He immediately moves to the farthest end of the auto and just ignores Chaman as he gets on and tells the driver to go to the train station. 

They have about 15 minutes to get there and Chaman doesn’t know what to do but the silence is killing him. The events of the past half hour rush back to him, as he slowly reviews them in his mind. He was too shocked in the immediate aftermath to concentrate properly on what had exactly happened. 

Three minutes pass by in somewhat comfortable silence before Chaman can’t handle it anymore. He turns to Kartik and asks the question that has been bothering him. The answer or well, question he gets asked back makes Chaman think. 

Kartik does have a point. It’s nobody’s fault that people are born the way they are. Pondering on this, Chaman asks the next question that’s been on his mind. 

“Beta, mummy papa ko pata hai? [Son, do your parents know?]” 

For the second time in a day, Chaman wants to take back a question immediately after he said them. Because he didn’t remember. He had forgotten. Only when he sees the upset and lost look that Kartik gives him does Chaman realize what he’s asked. Kartik doesn't have any family. His mind pulls forth the memory from that morning as he recalls what Kartik half-whispered to him in that crowded train compartment. 

_“Mere pass family nahi hai, uncle”_

Chaman beats himself up for forgetting that important detail in all the commotion. He wanted to apologize right then and there, but just like in the morning Kartik immediately drops the subject. He turns back around to idly watch the streets go by, and both him and Chaman continue their ride in silence. 

In that stony and still silence of the auto that was cruising through the darkened streets of a busy city, Chaman’s mind wanders. The topic on his mind - Kartik. Out of the corner of his eyes, Chaman’s eyes track the slumped figure of Kartik, leaning against the side of the auto. He thinks he saw a lone tear fall down the boy’s face but it could have been the street lights. 

He takes note of the slow breathing, the clenched fingers holding on to his bag strap like it was a noose and the eyes that stare at nothing. His mind flashes back again to the memory of them from earlier on the train. He notices the drastic change in this boy that had all taken place within the span of less than a day. 

The cheer that Kartik had had earlier in the train, the enthusiasm and life he had in his eyes were gone now. Even the cheekiness, the confidence form when they were talking outside the wedding hall was gone. He’s been subdued since they got on the auto. It was like the moment the two of them left Shankar, the moment the two of them were alone, Kartik had just let the fight leave him. 

On one hand, Chaman can’t bear to see this forlorn version of the happy kid he thought he knew. But on the other hand, he can’t help but feel a bit grateful that Kartik seems to trust him enough to be himself around him.

But then he remembers where they are, and where they’re going. His brother’s words of how he never wants to see Kartik again, echo inside his mind. He thinks about all of that and looks back again to the young man beside him. 

What they’re doing to him makes Chaman feel guilty - as if somehow he’s doing one of the worst things he could do. This boy used to be so happy and it feels like they're taking away all the happiness in his life....by taking Aman away from him. 

In the morning he noticed that Kartik makes Aman come out of his shell. He spent a good amount of time being grateful for it even. Now, he wonders if Aman does the same for Kartik. It feels like for the first time he’s seeing Kartik as Kartik. He’s seeing Kartik without Aman. It scares him. 

Chaman has seen Aman before Kartik, but right now, he doesn't even want to think about going back and seeing Aman...after Kartik. 

He thinks back to Kartik and Aman together and wonders if this is what love is supposed to look like. 

~~~

Chaman gets brought out of his musings when he feels the auto come to a stop. They’ve reached the train station. They get off at the station, or well - Kartik does. Chaman doesn’t know why but his heart suddenly feels sad. 

And as he watches Kartik leave, Chaman feels like he should say something, anything but - he doesn’t know what. He never ever thought he would be in this situation and this was one very out of syllabus situation. But then Kartik is turning back to him, looking at him with an exhausted look in his eyes that is quickly becoming way too familiar. 

Though it’s Kartik’s voice that really wrecks his heart. 

“Chalta hu Chacha.” He whispers. It’s different now, Chaman notices. The way he says “Chacha” feels different from the other times he’s used that word. But Chaman also thinks he’s heard that tone before. Once. Somewhere. 

Kartik had once said before, “Mera pass parivaar nahi hai”. Now, the same longing and loneliness that was in his voice back then, is also there now. The pain and the slight hesitation before he’d said “family” is again there when he calls him Chacha. 

Distantly somewhere in his head, Chaman realizes just how fast this boy had come to accept them as their own family. But before Chaman can keep thinking about that, Kartik speaks up once again. Chaman focuses back on Kartik. 

The exhaustion was still there, but the somewhat hopeless look in his eyes was replaced with a sense of determination. 

“Agar Aman ko kuch howa na, tho Tripathi khaandaan ka address you nhi maloon par kahi na kahi sa maloon kar loga aur sabki ith se ith baja dunga.” Kartik threatens. 

Chaman is taken aback. _‘Just how many times is this one kid going to surprise me in just one day?’_ He thinks. 

He thought he had Kartik figured out, but every time he thinks he knows something, Kartik goes and proves that there are more sides to him than he previously thought. Here he was, about to leave the city, feeling sad and worn and yet - he finds the courage in himself to fight. He still fights. 

Importantly though, Chaman notices that Kartik doesn’t threaten them for his own sake. No. Kartik basically just said that he’ll fight the entire family... _for Aman._

Looking at his determination, and love for Aman makes Chaman remember. He remembers the days prior to the wedding. Sunaina bhabi was very distressed in the morning of the Haldi, talking about Kusum, shaadi, and ranting about how their Guddu is dead. 

He remembers that night, sitting down with her, Bhaiya and Champa. Sitting down on the terrace of their house, after the rest of the family’s gone to sleep, and just sitting there and talking. He actually remembers countless nights of them sitting there and talking over the years. That was where they went when they needed some quiet to think. The four of them alone. 

That was where they went while planning Aman’s graduation party; the night when Goggle was in the hospital for her eye and they needed some comfort; even the night before Aman went away to study. 

And sometimes, they’d go there and sit and just talk about their kids, and their future. Chaman remembers how over the years they’d talk about Aman and his marriage. Talk about how they wanted to find their amazing son a bahu who could make him happy and also braver. They had a lot of dreams for their kids. Which parent didn’t?

But Chaman doesn’t dwell on these memories as much as he focuses on the last time they were there on that terrace. That night after the Haldi, in between the Kaali Gobi protests, they’d gone up there to talk about Aman. 

“That poor boy hai na, he’s become entangled with some Dehli girl!” He remembers Bhabi bemoaning. There was a distinct downcast look in her eyes, that betrayed the angry tone of her voice. She was angry, yes, but Chaman could tell she was more hurt than anything. 

“Arey who knows what she’s filled his head with.” She had continued. “She’s keeping Aman from our family. He was already way too eager to leave us and go to Delhi and now. She’s probably the reason why he doesn’t even want to come back to us.”

Her voice had even trembled a little bit, and that last line she uttered had really hit everyone hard. No matter what differences or problems the four of them had with each other, they all paled when it came to their shared love for their kids. They always knew that Goggle might leave them after marriage but Aman... Aman was supposed to always be with them. But from the way Bhabi was talking....

“We don’t need a girl like that. We don’t need some stupid Delhi-wala girl that doesn’t care about family. We just need a girl that doesn’t corrupt our boy.” Bhabi insisted again, trying to convince herself and the rest. 

It had been a somber mood that night, and the only thing Chaman could do was to joke and try to cheer everyone up. “We also need a girl that can protect that damn boy. God knows he’s too shy and reserved for his own good.” 

No one laughed, but there was a small smile on Bhabi’s face so he had counted that as a win.

But that talk the four of them had that day came back to him now. They were so worried about Aman’s Delhi girl.

And here was Kartik. 

They were wrong that day. Firstly, the girl that Aman had become entangled with, wasn't a girl at all, but a guy. Yet, besides that one glaring detail, they were also wrong about everything else. Kartik was someone that wanted to keep Aman with the family, This kid, sweet boy is clearly yearning to be a part of this family so much and Chaman can see it. Not only that but he protects Aman. There’s a fire in him that wants to protect Aman with everything he has, even if the people he needs to protect Aman from was his own family. 

Chaman always feared that Rajni would get married one day and leave them and be forced to not interact with them. So he had always wanted a damaad that will protect her, love her for who she is and would be brave enough to stand up to everyone for her. And that's something that he wants for Aman too and Kartik-

Chaman looks at the lone figure walking away into the train station. 

_“Agar kismat rahi to phir milenge”_ Kartik had wished as a goodbye. 

For a few seconds, as he sat there watching Kartik walk away from them, Chaman found himself wishing that fate really did bring this human back into their lives. Somehow. 

But he didn't realize how soon he’d come to regret ever wishing that. 

~~~

Chaman soon forgot about Kartik in the midst of the chaos that unfolded in the house. With Goggle running away, the wedding being stopped, and Aman’s kriya karam, Chaman felt like he didn’t even get a chance to breathe. He was way too worried about Goggle, and also to a smaller extent Aman. 

But the moment he sees Kartik again, he’s filled with equal parts awe and trepidation. The last time he had seen him Kartik had had barely concealed tears in his eyes. Chaman hadn’t wanted to point it out, but he had noticed. He was just too busy pondering on the marvel that was Kartik Singh to give it due attention. But now -

He sees Kartik again. This young man who was only so..defeated a couple of days ago was here, and he was back to being a brave and oh so stupidly in love idiot. He’s standing, almost naked in front of the entire family. It was like he was  _ asking _ them to see him for who he is. He wasn’t just baring his body he was baring his own heart. 

Chaman sees him put on this brave front, and hears him give an amazing speech. 

Yet... Chaman  _ knows _ . 

He knows that this was just like that night -in front of the wedding hall. He knows that this was just Kartik being his fighter self in front of Shankar and the rest. This was Kartik being brave for Aman. Inside it though, Chaman could see the version of him that he saw that day on the train and that night inside the auto. 

The part of Chaman that hasn’t stopped being a father since Goggle was born, the part of him that wants to shower all his kids with fatherly love - that part of him  _ knows _ . It knows that Kartik’s just a little scared boy. He can see it. He’s probably the only one that does apart from Aman. 

Considering that Chaman’s the only one Kartik has talked to most, it’s not all that surprising. But no matter how much Chaman can see how hurt and scared Kartik is - he can’t do anything. 

Even when Kartik asks him to bring Aman away, Chaman can’t _ do  _ anything. The only thing he does is that he begs Kartik to stop. Stop all this drama. 

_‘Stop it, beta. Stop pretending like you're okay, stop acting like you don’t care about what the family thinks of you. Stop trying to get yourself hurt’_ he wishes internally. 

He doesn’t have the strength to voice them out loud. He’s not as brave as Kartik is. 

He had tried, for the first time in a long time...he had tried to stand up for himself. To his brother. He had felt a bit proud of himself for doing that. He had looked at Kartik and seen that bravery inside this one kid and had tried to take some for himself. 

He had felt proud but now he feels like he failed. Because what was him standing up to his brother, compared to this?

He watches Aman and Kartik talk, and he sees the strength that they give each other. Everyone can see the desperation in Aman’s eyes as he runs to stop Shankar. Though not everyone sees the slight shaking of Kartik’s shoulders before he steals himself for the first blow. 

Chaman does. 

The moment the first blow connects, Chaman feels like he has to turn away. His attention was soon diverted to keeping Aman away from Kartik. Both boys' screams intermix in his ears and he tries to tell himself that he’s doing this for Kartik. 

Kartik told him to get Aman away and he couldn't muster up the courage to do that then. He tries to convince himself that by keeping Aman away he’s helping Kartik. Of course, Kartik would want him to keep Aman safe and away. 

It doesn’t work. He tells himself he’s doing this for Kartik but he feels like he’s just doing what he always has. 

He’s being a coward. 

Finally, after what feels like hours that went by in slow motion, the chadi falls. Aman stops struggling in his arms and as Chaman lets go, he thinks to himself that maybe things can get better from here. 

In a mere few moments, he knows it’s not going to be. 

The one thing that Chaman had been awed by, the one thing that he was most astounded by...the determination in Kartik. The determination in him to fight the entire family for Aman is now the one thing that Chaman prays Kartik didn't have. 

One part of him wishes that Kartik wasn’t this stupidly, stupidly brave as he watches him take up the chadi and pass it back to Shankar. Another part of Chaman, however, feels utterly proud of Aman for managing to find someone who loves him this much. 

But soon enough, things come to an end. When Kartik slams his hands together and asks Shankar to stop, Chaman gets to see his walls come down. Kartik was done. He had stopped pretending and Chaman could see him dropping all pretenses of not being hurt. 

He hates it. All he can see now is a pain in those eyes that used to have a fighting spirit. It’s the same pain he saw that night but intensified. The same heartache he heard in that voice when a goodbye was whispered into the endless night sky. 

_ “Agar kismat rahi to phir milenge...” _

And as Kartik tips forward, after his one last defiant statement, and falls to the ground all spent - Chaman finds himself questioning if maybe Kartik should have never come back at all. 

~~~

After that one major, life-defining incident in the house, everything else that follows moves rapidly. Within a blink of an eye and the next, within the span of a few hours... Aman’s wedding was fixed. Chaman thinks he knows why Aman made the decision he made but...the image of Kartik lying so still on the bed, dead to the world and exhausted beyond measure doesn’t let him fully accept it. 

Hours before the wedding that Chaman still has a bad feeling about, in between the chaos of the preparations, Chaman spots Kartik. The hunched and defeated posture he wore had become familiar now. Where had that cheerful boy from the train gone? 

Chaman doesn’t know how to face Kartik. Even though Kartik would never say it to his face, Chaman knows that he’d let Kartik down. He didn’t know when this boy had come to mean as much to him as his kids but, he had. 

Chaman feels like he’s letting down his own kid by being a coward. He can’t bear to see Kartik like this. He doesn't know what pushes him to go towards Kartik. Maybe it was the guilt, or maybe it was the fact that he knows no one else would have checked upon him. 

Still, he goes towards Kartik. Kartik moves his eyes away from Aman and looks at Chaman. 

“Beta...” Chaman starts. He didn't notice how many times he called Kartik ‘son’ until then. It was instinct to call Kartik that but now Chaman felt like he didn’t deserve it. 

“Have you eaten anything? Lunch? There’s some food-” Chaman gets interrupted in his ramblings. 

“No, uncle. It’s fine.” Kartik says and jumps down from the railing and walks away before Chaman can even move an inch.

Only once he’s left does Chaman really register what Kartik had said. He’d called him ‘uncle’. Chaman doesn’t know if Kartik himself had noticed it. But Chaman does. He always notices these little things...maybe it was the inner lawyer in him. 

Right now though, he would have preferred if he had been oblivious. Because it hurts. The way Kartik called him ‘uncle’ instead of “chacha”. It hurts him and he pretends like he doesn’t know why. 

Even if he wants to do something about the hurt, even if he wants to make up for failing Kartik yesterday - he can’t. He can't do anything here. Not here and not now. 

No one can. 

Not against his older brother. Not in this house. 

As Chaman turns back to look at the festive celebrations, he looks past the happy dancing and sees Aman. He sees how his posture mirrors that of Kartik’s from before. 

And for a moment, he really hates that Katik’s bravery hadn’t rubbed off on Aman more or even on Chaman. If only anyone in the tripathi parivaar had even a single ounce of courage that Kartik has....to fight for Aman; to fight for Aman’s best interest; to fight for his happiness.... 

But they don't. It feels like none of them do. 

Kartik’s maybe the only one who’s ever fought for Aman. And that’s especially why -Chaman secretly thinks, in the part of his heart that is hidden away behind his fear -, Kartik is the perfect damaad for them. But that’s also why fate is cruel.   
  


~~~

Chaman can’t bear to face either of his kids, so he spends the rest of the time being anywhere but near the two boys. Even when he’s in a crowd dancing around Aman, he keeps his face down and fakes a smile. 

He doesn’t know what is going to happen but he has a bad feeling about it all. But he knows. He knows that whatever is about to happen in that house that night, is going to define a turning point in all their lives. 

The feeling only gets more intense as the night drags on. When Kusam comes down to sit beside Aman, Chaman starts to fidget. Even Champa notices his discomfort now, but she mistakes it for his worry over Goggle. 

Of course, he will always be worried over Goggle, but...right now? He was trying to calm down his conscience. He focuses so much on calming himself down that he doesn’t notice the tension building up in the house until his brother literally demands to stop the wedding and remove Kusum’s veil. 

The anxiety that Chaman had tried to get rid of comes back immediately as the chaos unfolds in the house. He gets swept up in it and goes back to blindly following Shankar’s order. His peace of mind only returns when he hears Aman shout, “Papa! What are you doing?”

He watches together with the rest of the family as Aman finally, finally stands up for himself and Kartik. He watches the two of them fight for themselves. They do it together. Aman has never spoken up to Shankar like that before. No one really has. 

He can see the shock on his brother’s face at the sheer loudness and anger behind Aman’s voice. Chaman is shocked too but there is a sense of happiness that comes with it as well. 

As the two go up to the mandap and talk the panditji into helping them get married, Chaman notices the smiles on both their faces. It feels like way too long since he’s seen those smiles. That day in that train when he first met Kartik and his bubbly self feels like it was ages ago. 

He sees them take their pheras and can’t help but smile a little with them. Their happiness is infectious. 

But all of that comes to a halt when the police arrive. 

He realizes then, that even though the boys had fought them and won, they can’t fight this. Not alone. He sees the happiness in their eyes fade again. 

He curses fate one more time. They just got their happiness back and it’s being ripped away again. 

He feels lost like he hasn’t been in a long time. But slowly, he sees something that helps him gain some hope. 

Bhabhi steps up. She goes up to the police, and not only fights but even manages to get his brother to fight too. 

Chaman can see that Shankar doesn’t fully accept the situation. He knows his brother too well to think he’s completely okay with Kartik already. But seeing him take that first step? Seeing Bhabi doing the same? 

He feels some sort of pride. He looks towards the two boys, and he sees their hands still clasped together even in the middle of being ripped apart. 

He remembers how he didn’t help Kartik yesterday. The pain of failing Aman and Kartik still stuck to him like a strong perfume. 

He couldn’t do anything then. But he could now. It might be the only thing he can do to ask for forgiveness. 

So without hesitation, he borrows some of the courage from Kartik, Aman and even from his Bhabi and Bhaiya and steps up. 

He won’t fail his kids again this time. This time they needed their parents and he promises himself he will do everything he can. 

The moment he starts talking, it feels like someone else has taken over. He doesn’t concentrate on much other than getting his point across. He might have failed due to out-of-syllabus questions before. 

But he won’t this time. This is where it matters most. 

He doesn't expect the love and support of his family. He knew they’d be happy but seeing his family cheering him on and having his brother bless him - it almost makes him stumble. But the one thing that meant a lot to him was Kartik. 

Kartik was looking at him like he was someone special and to be appreciated, and he was always smiling at him every time Chaman looked towards the two boys. 

Kartik, the boy that practically taught Chaman what bravery and courage meant, was hi-fiving him, whistling for him and basically being his number one fan. 

Chaman can’t believe how much love this one boy has. He had let him down yesterday and yet, here Kartik was, forgiving him and cheering him on still. 

Chaman will never admit it, but every time during that speech, every time that Chaman felt even a little bit scared or anxious, he looked at Kartik. 

And Kartik was always there with a thumbs up and a smile. The validation from his family made Chaman’s heart fill with happiness. After years of his failed lawyer career taunts and jokes, getting their full acceptance and  _ support _ ? Seeing how proud they were of him? He doesn't know if he will ever get over it. 

But Kartik looking at him in awe and gratefulness, like the time he did when Chaman first told him to call him “chacha”? That literally took Chaman’s breath away. 

So he put all that emotions into his speech. They’ve fought for so long over these few days, those two boys. Kartik especially.  Chaman will take over now. He’d help in the only way he knew how. He doesn’t care that he’s being loud, or too hyper. He was doing this for himself and for Aman and Kartik. He will use all his lawyer skills and turn this very out-of-syllabus situation into a win. 

He has to. 

And he does. The relief Chaman feels when the police decide to wait until tomorrow is overwhelming. And as the police leave to go eat dinner, he vows to himself that he will not let anything happen to Aman and Kartik. No matter what happens the next day, he’d be there for his kids. 

The first thing he does when he can finally breathe is to go over to Kartik. Kartik immediately bends down to get his blessings and Chaman stops him. This boy really deserved everything, he thought happily as he saw the happiness in his eyes. He also saw the tears there too but it was happy ones. 

Being overwhelmed with all sorts of emotions from the events of the past days, Chaman pulls Kartik into a hug. He can feel the love pouring out from the boy in the way he holds on tight to Chaman. 

It was there, in between those moments in that hug that Kartik whispers, “Thanks Chacha.”

Chaman thinks back to the first time Kartik had called him chacha in the train. The first time he actually got to know this amazing ray of sunshine. 

_ “Mere pass family nahi hai, uncle”  _

Chaman replies with words pulled deep from his heart. 

“You don’t thank family beta.” 

**Author's Note:**

> The idea of being brave and having the courage to do things is something that has always been important in my life (I have a tattoo that I've had designed since years ago about 'being brave', that's how important it is to me). 
> 
> So this series is going to be very special to me. I literally took **2 weeks** to write this as i really didn't want to mess it up. It's one of the most important things I will write, I feel. And I hope that you take something out of it too - be it the intended message or something else entirely. I believe that we learn something from everyone around us, and everything we see, read, or experience. So hopefully this fic helps someone in some way? Maybe? I don't know but I needed to write this and so I did. 
> 
> Thanks for all the support and love for all my works. <3


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